


First Kiss

by Cuillere



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, First Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 18:49:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16124561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuillere/pseuds/Cuillere
Summary: Another one for the "First Kiss" prompt! Ask for my warden by Tumblr user @suzumicchi! :)Fun fact, when I played through that origin, I confirmed Sereda's love for Gorim thinking she was actually telling a joke. Turns out it wasn't and I just went with it. I regret nothing.





	First Kiss

They had only outright discussed it once. They both knew about the other’s feeling, and they both knew why nothing had ever happened. They had no future. Not as their world was. Not ever.  
The idea of doing something about it often kept Sereda awake at night. They were both unhappy, like this. Keeping to their duties, yes, but unhappy. She was. She could see Gorim was, too, and that broke her heart.

She could see it, right now, in the slowness with which he had opened the door and in his lopsided soft smile when he greeted her.  
The burst of warmth that settles in her chest is surrounded with this sharp pinching. It often is, but today the pinching is stronger, invading the warmth.

Still in her thoughts, Sereda gestures for him to come in. “Good morning Gorim. Please close the door behind you.”

He can read her just as well as she can, him. And she is not hiding anything, either. He has to know she’s about to discuss something serious. He’s probably even aware that it’s going to be personal. But still, nothing but a very slight hitch in his breath betrays him.

“Yes, my Lady,” Gorim nods.

As he turns round to do as she asked, she closes her eyes. She needs to not let herself be distracted. She breathes deep and gets up when she hears her door closing. She needs to talk to him as an equal. She cannot be His Lady Aeducan for this to work.

Their gazes cross as he turns back to her.

After just an instant, Sereda finds herself incapable of breaking the gaze. All she can do is muster all of her courage to speak.

“Will you be mine, Gorim?”

That’s blunt, and feels desperate. But that’s all she could come up with.

She can see the very instant he gets what she’s asking. He stills for a second, but then straightens up and squares his shoulders.

“You know I’m devoted to your service, my lady Aeducan.”

Sereda receives this like a rejection. She has learned when he uses her last name, when he’s putting distance between them. But she also expected this reaction, and now that her question is out, she needs to have this discussion with him. She needs him not to escape the topic.

“You know that isn’t what I’m talking about,” Sereda states.

Of course, he does! She can almost see in his body the sigh she can see in his eyes. They dart to one side, as if he could escape in her wardrobe, maybe.

“You know I don’t have a say in this,” he yields. “If I did, I wouldn’t be yours, my lady. It would make everything so much simpler.”

The hurt is audible in his voice, and it gives her cold shivers.

“It would,” she admits.

Given the choice, she would do the same, of course.  
But they don’t have that choice. Never have, never will. They can only let it be, or try to make something out of it. And now that they are actually talking about it, she needs to make sure he understands how important this is.

“The choice you have is whether you act on it, Gorim. That’s the only choice we get. I… I want this. I want you. I want to try it out. It hurts too much. I think we both deserve this. We deserve a chance. I don’t care what my father thinks about it. Or my brothers. I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. You know my views on Castes and how we should change this oppressive system, full of limitations. You know how I think we should explore new ways of…”

Gorim’s hand touching her shoulder stops her. His smile is warm and caring, if sad.

“You’re rambling, my lady.”

A long exhale leaves her mouth as she’s trying to calm down. “You’re right, sorry.”

She has always had a tendency to get heated when she speaks her mind. Especially about topics which outrage her.  
It takes her barely a full breath before she’s calm again, though. When she opens her eyes, she finds Gorim’s. His caring smile lingers on his lips and she answers it, her cheeks growing hot.  
It seems like this could last forever. His soft grey eyes are captivating, she feels like she could see his soul there, and she feels blessed for it. Her whole body is warm and she feels like she’s on a cloud.

She can see his pupils retract brutally before he takes his hand away from her, as if he has just been burnt. She misses his touch already, but pushes the thought aside.  
The air thickens with their embarrassment and it takes a moment longer to shake it.  
In a search for a new countenance, she clears her throat.

“My point was, I’m willing to try. We deserve this chance, Gorim,” she asserts once again.

He gulps.

She waits for a while in silence before she opens her mouth, ready to tell him he doesn’t need to answer that and she just wanted him to know, but that’s when his hand lifts. She freezes, mouth hanging half open, excessively aware of her heart pulsing in her throat.

Suddenly, his hand is on her cheek. It’s warm and she wants to lean into the touch. She wants to grab his hand and kiss it. But she doesn’t. She just stands there, waiting for him.

He takes a breath. Two.

“I can only be yours, my heart.”

That makes her melt. The warmth spreads quickly from her face into her whole body.  
As the meaning of those words reaches her fully, a tear escapes her and she launches for his arms. He’s warm and his shoulder is much more comfortable than it should.  
By the Stone, she’s holding Gorim in her arms. She’s hugging him.

He’s the first one to ease the embrace and soon they find themselves looking at each other again. Gorim’s not smiling. She isn’t either, but she feels relief. And his eyes sparkle.  
He’s beautiful.

“I want to kiss you.” The words are out before she had any time to think about it.

Gorim chuckles at the admission and leans in. When his lips touch hers, she thinks she going to burst from the feeling.  
He’s hot and soft. It’s agreeable, but it’s much more than that. She’s kissing Gorim!  
Her heart stutters at the thought.

She knows - they both know - they’re in for a rough ride but she’s not about to let him go.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:  
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